No coronavirus case in country

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Dr Zafar Mirza has said that till now there has been not a single confirmed case of coronavirus in the country.

The SAPM was addressing a press conference in Islamabad along with Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing on Monday afternoon, where he said that Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) regarding prevention and treatment of the virus have been shared with the provinces.

Pakistan has acquired medical kits that perform specific diagnosis for the coronavirus, said the SAPM. He added that seven people were under observation for the virus across Pakistan. “The good news is that all of their tests came negative,” said Dr Mirza. The SAPM said that the government has reviewed the situation in the provinces and will work upon measures to be taken within 24 hours.

"No Pakistani can leave China without spending a 14-day, disease-free period," said the SAPM. “As flights from China to Pakistan resumed Monday, I was personally present with my teams at the airport to receive the passengers and not a single suspected case was detected,” he noted.

Over 60 passengers from the Chinese city of Urumqi arrived in Pakistan on Monday as direct flight operations between the two countries resumed after a brief suspension.

Meanwhile, National Institute of Health (NIH) has taken samples of six Chinese and Pakistani nationals from Karachi, Multan and Lahore for diagnosis of coronavirus.

According to details, the reports of patients are likely to be completed in 48 hours. It is to be mentioned here that World Health Organization has provided necessary assistance to Pakistan to prevent coronavirus in the country.

The assistance includes technical guidance, tools for screening along with laboratory support and management of coronavirus cases at federal and provincial levels.